


when is a monster not a monster? (oh when you love it)

by orphan_account



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Not Brit Picked, They're both 17, Underage Drinking, Underage Sex, andrew has a lot in common with draco malfoy and i may have exploited that, deatheater! andrew, deatheater!neil, lightning era hogwarts au, neither one of them want to be deatheaters, of course i had to have them play soemthing!, quidditch star!andreil, slytherin!andriel, they're both two kids who have fucked up, told from alternating neil and andrew povs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-18 23:34:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19344970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Neil is a recent transfer student from Durmstrang. His mother is dead and he's seeking David Waymack's protection. Waymack has a condition though, he has to try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team. The problem is that, Andrew is the captain for the team and he promises to make Neil's life a living hell. Neil has no choice.Andrew has made a lot of mistakes in his life, more than he can count, but the ugly scar covering his left forearm is more than enough to damn him forever.A fic about redemption, the power of choice and finding love.





	1. The Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so I finished the books about two days ago and this came to mind almost immediately. This is going to be my baby for a while.

Andrew sat at the Slytherin table with Nicky, Kevin, and Renee. Professor Dumbledore’s beginning of term speech was full of nonsense and Andrew couldn’t wait to go have a smoke on the Quidditch pitch. His firewhiskey was also calling his name.

 

The Great Hall doors opened with a creak, and a small, rain-soaked, poorly dressed kid stood there. He didn’t say anything just went to sit on the far side of Slytherin table and tried to brush the rain off of him.

 

Andrew had never seen a more pathetic creature.

 

The feast began shortly thereafter and Andrew chowed down on roasted chicken, gravy and mashed potatoes.

 

He cast a glance down the table and realized the new kid (who couldn’t be older than fourteen) was looking at him. Andrew gave him an icy, dead stare and the kid turned away.

 

After the feast, Professor Dumbledore wished them goodnight and everyone began filing out of the Great Hall.

 

Andrew was sleepy, the train ride had been… obnoxious. Kevin had hounded him about this year’s Quidditch line up. Andrew has ignored him up to a point and then snapped when Kevin didn’t get the hint.

 

So when Andrew went to his dorm and saw a still damp child pacing in front of the small fireplace at the center of the room he gave the kid another icy look.

 

“The fourth year dormitories are downstairs, punk.”

 

“I’m a seventh year, actually, but if you need help getting to your dorm I’m sure I could arrange something.”

 

“What the fuck is your name?”

 

“Josten.”

 

Andrew was part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, the twenty-eight families that had been pureblood since time began. But he’d never heard of the Jostens which meant they were probably only half-blood. There was another thing too, Josten had a faint accent, it sounded like it was German but Andrew had never been good with telling accents apart.

 

“Just don’t snore,” Andrew barked and took his wand and a pack of cigarettes with him to the Quidditch pitch.

 

*~*~*

 

Neil was exhausted. He’d almost missed the carriages because he fell asleep on the train. This was his mother’s dying wish, that he go to Hogwarts and seek Dumbledore’s protection.

 

It was just past nine when an owl tapped on the window. He could tell it was for him.

 

He opened the window, took the paper and read it quickly.

 

_Mr. Wesninski,_

 

_I am glad you made it safely to the castle. I will offer you protection on one condition; try out for the Quidditch Team. Your mother communicated with me that it was your passion before she died._

 

_Albus Dumbledore_

 

_Order of Merlin, first class_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards_

_Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot._

 

The problem with trying out for Quidditch was that, unless he was very much mistaken, the person who had been so unwelcoming and so nasty to him was the Slytherin captain.

 

Neil sighed and curled into bed.


	2. a misunderstanding of circumstance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew finds out something terrifying about who Neil really is

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see my notes at the bottom, I explain somethings there. I don't think I'll be updating daily but this came really easily to me and I stayed up late writing it.

Neil woke up with half an hour to spare before classes started. He could get breakfast or he could go for a smoke. He knew it was probably against the rules, but it had been so long since he’d had a moment to himself. 

 

So he grabs his cigarettes and jogs outside. He knows he needs to stay hidden. His wand is in his pocket and he uses it to light his cigarette. He sighs with relief when the smoke hits his lungs. The cravings had been getting annoying. 

 

“Josten, this is _my_ spot, you little snot.” 

 

Neil sighs, there’s no way Andrew will let him on the team. He snubs out his cigarette and begins walking away, so much for his moment of peace. 

 

Neil does go to breakfast, he grabs a scone and some hot tea. Their head of house, Professor Winfield gives Neil his schedule and he looks through it. He reads that _Defense Against the Dark Arts_ is at two o’clock and it’s his last class. Defense? Against? The Dark Arts? Neil knows he’s running away from some very bad men and most of the time the only way to stop them is to kill them, Neil is well versed in the unforgivables. 

 

But all he can imagine is a group of students who are _a lot_ less well versed in the dark arts than him, shooting rainbows out of their wands. His left forearm itches, where his Dark Mark is, but doesn’t burn. 

 

He has some parchment and quills in his bag, but he’s going to have to get his books delivered by owl mail, there simply wasn’t enough time to get his books. 

 

So he trudges off to NEWT level Potions and they learn how to make a salve with murtlap and tentactula leaves that staunches bleeding on deep wounds. Neil files that information away for a rainy day. 

 

He hadn’t realized it but Andrew had been working at the table behind him and his potion was not a rich purple but deep green, “You chopped the tentactula leaves too fine.” 

 

“Shut it.”

 

Neil shakes his head and begins cleaning up. 

 

The bell rings and Neil makes his way to charms. 

 

*~*~*

 

Andrew was going to hurl himself off the astronomy tower. His first major assignment for potions, a subject he was perfectly good at, and he couldn’t keep his mind from drifting to questions that didn’t have a reasonable answer. 

 

Neil looked so small, not height wise, he was taller than Andrew but so, so thin. He didn’t look like he’d had a good meal in ages. And there was the fact that Neil worked alone and Professor Slughorn didn’t question it. He’d been paired up with Kevin for the term and hadn’t had a choice. 

 

What the hell made Josten so special. He resolved then and there that he was going to put this kid through his paces. 

 

*~*~* 

 

Neil walked into DADA and saw it was down to just about fifteen students. Professor Lupin came in and started pairing them off, Neil got stuck with Andrew. 

 

They were supposed to try to take turns trying to jinx and block each other without their wands. Neil didn’t want to let on that he could do this with ease. 

 

The Professor gave them the go ahead and Andrew jinxed Neil’s knees together with his wand behind his back. 

 

Neil did the counterjinx and put his hands in front of him to show Andrew he wasn’t holding a wand, “Flippendo.” 

 

Neil watched as Andrew blocked the hex with his wand. 

 

“Mr. Minyard that will be ten points from Slytherin and if I see you using a wand in this classroom for the rest of the lesson I’ll make sure you have an entire weekend of detention.” 

 

Andrew didn’t seem all that affected. 

 

They tried to work together but it was more than trying. 

 

Luckily the end of the day bell sounded and Neil flees the room. 

 

Neil went directly to the owlery and sent off a request for his school books to Flourish and Blotts with enough gold for everything he needed.

 

Neil walked slowly back to the Slytherin Common room and was faced with Kevin Day when he arrived. 

 

Kevin was no friend of Neil’s but something was wrong. Kevin was gripping his hand and there was blood on the floor. 

 

“Hey, hey are you ok?” Neil asks. 

 

Kevin shook his head, “I just got roughed up.” 

 

Neil frowned, he lied quickly, “I’m studying to be a healer, let me help you.” 

 

Kevin held out his hand, the muscles and tendons were showing, his hand was clearly broken in the most gruesome way possible. Neil pulled out his wand and healed the bones. “You should go see the nurse.” 

 

Kevin was still dripping blood on the floor but his face was less troubled. “I can’t.” 

 

Neil didn’t like that way that sounded, “Your hand has been degloved. You need some complicated healing magic.” 

 

Kevin said the password for the common room and walked in, ignoring Neil. 

 

Andrew was holding court with half the Slytherin seventh years. They were all laughing until Kevin walked in and Neil came in after him. Andrew may not have been good with wandless magic but he was _fast_. Andrew pointed his wand at Neil’s heart. Everyone in the room had assumed that Neil, the dangerous transfer from Durmstrang had hurt Kevin.

 

Neil has his wand out just a second too late and Andrew cursed him. 

 

Neil flew back and hit the portrait door. “I found him like that!” He rubbed his head and his back, everything hurt worse now. 

 

Kevin was trying to get them to calm down, and they’d made so much ruckus they had accidentally summoned their Head of House. 

 

Professor Winfield came in and looked murderous. “Fifty points from Slytherin! Minyard you’re not going to be captain of the team for very long if you can’t follow the rules!” 

 

She helped Neil up and quietly asked him if he was ok. He was fine, just sore. 

 

*~*~*

 

Neil went to dinner and sat alone. He didn’t feel like being tossed around again. 

 

He ate a hearty dinner and wandered back to his dorm. He pulled out a small bottle of firewhiskey and took a sip. What the hell was he thinking? He’d be better off on the run. He was good at running and had been doing it since he was a kid. 

 

But Waymack had offered protection from his demons and Neil had never thought it would be one of the students that would make his life a living hell.

 

Speaking of living hell, Minyard stumbled into the room tangled with a boy Neil didn’t recognize. Neil slipped out of the room with his firewhiskey and a pack of smokes and made for the Quidditch pitch. No one was going to bother him if Minyard was busy.

 

So he sat and drank until the chilly night air bit into his skin and it began raining. He hadn’t realized he drank so much until he stood up and the world spun. 

 

Neil dragged himself back to the dorm, smelling like cold rainwater and an abundance of firewhiskey. 

 

Andrew was asleep but alone. Kevin, however, was up and reading. “Josten you smell like you took a bath in liquor.”

 

Neil flopped down on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately. 

 

*~*~*

 

Andrew woke up and the whole room smelled damp. He had heard Josten come in and make a significant amount of noise. 

 

Andrew got out of bed and got dressed. 

 

Josten rolled over and threw up on the carpet. Ah, so he’d been drinking. Well, Andrew wasn’t going to give him shit about that because Andrew enjoyed drinking too.

 

Andrew headed out but not before casting a quick _scourgify_ on the mess. He had to figure out somethings today, like what he would do if the Dark Mark burned while he was at Hogwarts. 

 

It was almost as if thinking about it made it happen, the mark burns hot and searing on his skin and he’s whisked away to Minyard Manor on a trail of dark magic. 

 

He arrives and goes directly to the dining room. He takes a seat and a second later, Josten is strolling in. Andrew can’t believe his eyes. This must be a trick to prove his loyalty. 

 

Andrew is about to use a torture curse on him but someone grips his hand and brings it down. “If you curse my son I shall ensure it’s the last thing you _ever_ do.” The voice is unmistakable, but how?

 

Nathan Wesninski, the Dark Lord’s right-hand man is looking at him and if looks could kill Andrew would be six feet under.

 

Josten- or whatever he’s supposed to call this… this fellow death eater takes a seat at the table. The other death eaters filter in and soon the table is full. 

 

The Dark Lord appears, and a shudder goes through Andrew. 

 

“I’ve called you all here to discuss the fate of Albus Dumbledore.” 

 

There’s murmuring and the Dark Lord holds up a hand to silence them. “The youngest Minyard is tasked with eradicating the threat that is the Hogwarts Headmaster.” 

 

Andrew almost bites off his tongue. He knows better than to protest. He knows this is punishment for Aaron’s death, his twin and the favorite of the Dark Lord’s death eaters. He nods though, accepting his fate, which will most likely be death or imprisonment. 

 

“That is all, no one may help Andrew with this task.” 

 

Andrew is catapulted back to Hogsmeade and realizes that Josten followed him. 

 

Andrew tries to walk away but Josten is standing in front of him, “Stop, let me talk to you.” 

 

“No!” Andrew goes left and Neil blocks his path again. “You should’ve told me!” Andrew growls. 

 

“How could I? How could I possibly know?” Josten said and Andrew was struck with the fact that he was right. 

 

Andrew huffs and tries to move forward again but Josten stops him. 

 

“You don’t have to do this,” he says to Andrew. 

 

“I have to! He’s going to kill my whole family if I don’t!” 

 

Josten looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, “You have a family?” 

 

“Sometimes family isn’t your blood to but who you would spill blood for.” 

 

They walk back the castle with a silent understanding between them; Neil is now part of Andrew’s life, for better or worse. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter moves slowly then very quickly. Please understand that neither of them want to be death eaters. Neil's father knows the only way to see his son is to have him summoned, as the mark will make him disapparate from wherever he is. There's going to be a lot of similarities between this fic and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Everything leading up to the big reveal is relevant. Neil has a slight drinking problem, not technically alcoholism but definitely alcohol abuse (so does Andrew). They're going to fall in love but there's going to be bumps along the way! 
> 
>  
> 
> Comments/Kudos/Love are much appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> I realize it's a short prologue but please leave comments/kudos/love if you enjoyed!


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